Both outfits grew up as part of Kansas City Southern Industries, the railway that veered off-track into the far more profitable business of financial services.

FORBES: The Track Less Taken

Most of Netease's business is selling messaging services to mobile phone users in China--a profitable business that does not depend on the vagaries of advertising.

FORBES: Best Letters Buy Into Small Caps

The acquisition was not so much for Compaq's PC business-- Dell Computer 's (nasdaq: DELL - news - people ) relentless cost-cutting model has taken out most of its competitors' profits there--but in the hope of building a consulting business, particularly in managed services, that could complement HP's highly profitable printing business.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Three of HP's four main lines of business--printing, PCs and services--are profitable.

FORBES: Cover Story

Drive competing services out of business with a free service (subsidized by a profitable product).

FORBES: Google Reader And The Underpants Gnomes